Falkland Islands - your view

[larrakeyah]

Want to start talking about the amount of civilian deaths caused by America in the last century? I think you'd be shocked if you do go look into it.

The past is the past, we all have things we are not proud of as nations, but you cant keep going back over it.

Yes please, let's talk about that, when it comes to deaths the British Empire stands head and shoulders above the rest. Let me start: The Famine. One million deaths. Your turn.

EDIT: Actually I might be wrong, It's going to be a nice fight between communists and the British Empire! But communists probably killed more, so i think I was wrong on this one.

[yetgdhfgh]

I am not an Argentinian. I think they should get the Islands.

Saying that you are greek then i believe cyprus should be given to the turks

how do you like those apples hmmm

[Reeve]

"It is my intention to hoist to-morrow the national flag of Great Britain on shore when I request you will be pleased to haul down your flag on shore and withdraw your force, taking all stores belonging to your Government."

http://books.google.bg/books?id=x7p4...AJ&redir_esc=y

This is part of the letter and the ultimatum given to the people on the islands in 1833. To me it sounds like there was a Government there and that the British forced them out. The referendum is just legalization of a 180 year old theft.

The pseudo-Argentinians sent a (failed) expedition to the Falklands, having requested from the British to be allowed to settle on the Islands. The Americans ended up kicking them off after the Argentines captured and imprisoned several US fishing boats. The US declared the island "free of all government" at the time. The Argentines tried again, once again with the requested approval of the British, but the settlement only lasted four days before the leader was killed in a mutiny. Shortly thereafter, the British arrived and claimed the island, asking the Argentines to leave. The British have been there ever since.

That's a stronger claim to the islands than the US has to Florida or California for goodness sake.

[Rend Blackhand]

..... In other news, President Kirchner has claimed Brazil, Chile and Uruguay as Argentinian territory as they are close to Argentina......

Seriously, Kirchner is only kicking up a stink because her policies are unpopular and Argentina has gotten worse with the world recession. If there is another war then Argentina will easily be beaten and I don't really want to see hundreds of young Argentine lads being killed over islands that don't belong to them.

[Cybran]

Saying that you are greek then i believe cyprus should be given to the turks

how do you like those apples hmmm

I'm not greek, though. Turks need to pack their bags and stop their occupation of Cyprus, just like the Falklanders. They are both invaders. Now i see why you support them.

[Reeve]

I'm not greek, though. Turks need to pack their bags and stop their occupation of Cyprus, just like the Falklanders. They are both invaders.

Why not put your location under your avatar to avoid these little misunderstandings?

[Deleted]

The answer to this is simple. Make the Falklands an independent state and part of the Commonwealth, Argentina would have absolutely no claim to an independent state.

[Mavett]

-Belonged to GB before Argentina even existed [✓]
-Population willing to keep their British citizenship [✓]
-Does Argentina have any claim to Falklands [x]
-Only reason Argentina bringing up this dispute because of large oil reserves in the vicinity [✓]

[larrakeyah]

The answer to this is simple. Make the Falklands an independent state and part of the Commonwealth, Argentina would have absolutely no claim to an independent state.

Politically speaking Argentina has absolutely no claim.

[Deleted]

The answer to this is simple. Make the Falklands an independent state and part of the Commonwealth, Argentina would have absolutely no claim to an independent state.

It certainly seems like the right thing to do, but as far as I know the islanders simply want to remain part of the UK. They should just hold another referendum on it, just to shut the Argentinians up, let the decision be down to them.

[Deleted]

I am not an Argentinian. I think they should get the Islands.

If that is just an opinion, you are more than welcome to keep it. However, you repeatedly state your opinion is based on false information (which almost everyone in this thread continually points out to you) that the islands were stolen in the first place. You then state you dislike Britain because they sold guns to the Ottoman empire (lets see, that ran from 1299 to 1929 so it ceased to exist almost 100 years ago) and in effect killed your grandparents. I need to ask how old you are, if your grandparents were fighting the Ottoman empire back in the late 1800's?

I hate saying it, because I truely believe that opinions can never be wrong. You however are wrong in almost everything you say, so very wrong. If it's a massive troll, well played sir.

[yetgdhfgh]

I'm not greek, though. Turks need to pack their bags and stop their occupation of Cyprus, just like the Falklanders. They are both invaders. Now i see why you support them.

You never said what your nationality was but you talked about your greek ancestory so i pointed that out i certainly dont support the turks just your naive opinion about stuff you obviously know nothing about

[Reeve]

It certainly seems like the right thing to do, but as far as I know the islanders simply want to remain part of the UK. They should just hold another referendum on it, just to shut the Argentinians up, let the decision be down to them.

They've held referenda. It's never shut the Argentinians up before.

[Porcell]

Interesting thread. I knew a little, now I know a lot more.

There's a lot of seemingly irrelevant stuff getting thrown around here. The "early history" and all the changing hands is irrelevant. When the dust settled we have the UK with a legitimate claim to owning the island and then occupying it for 150 some odd years. Until such point has the UK reaches an agreement to change that situation, it remains part of the UK controlled territory. Argentina can come knocking on the door all they want, but unless the UK (or the Islanders themselves) agree to a change in circumstances, Argentina can not force anything. "Hey, island, we want that" isn't any sort of valid claim to ownership of land. By the way, it doesn't matter if there are 10, 100, or 2,000 people on the island, the island still belongs to the UK (commonwealth of colonies or whatever it's called these days). The population doesn't change the claim of ownership. Vatican City only has like 800 people, that doesn't mean Italy can just suddenly be like "Hey, you know how you were a sovereign state. Well, we think you should belong to us now."

It's like if Cuba hoofed it over to Puerto Rico and said "Hey, I think you should belong to us." Unless the US and Puerto Rico said "Okay, sure, that sounds good" then nothing is going to happen. Puerto Rico has been with the US for over 100 years.

Long and short of it, the island belongs to the UK because they have owned it for the past 150 years. Period.

[Deleted]

Politically speaking Argentina has absolutely no claim.

I agree, but they can still make claims based on historical inaccuracies while it remains a British territory. They would have no claim based on anything to an independent state, and that would also forever take off the idea of another military strike to take islands, the Argentines wouldn't attack an independent nation.

[Seranthor]

To put it in context, Ireland is closer to FRANCE than these islands are to Argentina. Yes Argentina is the closest country geographically, but it is by no means close.

And that's all moot because as I see it, the residents self identify as British.

Exactly my point... Argentina has no legitimate claim on the Falklands, period.

---------- Post added 2013-01-04 at 08:37 AM ----------

Didn't Sean Penn make a statement asking Britian to hand back the islands to Argentina last year? Sorry, I know Sean Penn is not classed as a "serious country" but this was one of the reasons why I created the thread in the first place - to find out the worlds opinion on the matter and not just the UK / Argentina.

I think when Sean Penn says something we all should listen... and do the opposite... I think that the Falklanders should be allowed to chose, and that that choice, regardless of what it is should be respected by EVERYONE.

[Deleted]

Exactly my point... Argentina has no legitimate claim on the Falklands, period.

---------- Post added 2013-01-04 at 08:37 AM ----------



I think when Sean Penn says something we all should listen... and do the opposite... I think that the Falklanders should be allowed to chose, and that that choice, regardless of what it is should be respected by EVERYONE.

Exactly this really, the oil doesn't really come into it, what people need to remember is that we defended these islands even before we knew there was oil there, if there was no oil there, we would still defend them today with the same tenacity, it's the people that matter, it's their home and they are defended by the UK, if they suddenly decide they no longer want that to be the case, then so be it, we would be more than happy to give them independance.

[Cybran]

However, you repeatedly state your opinion is based on false information (which almost everyone in this thread continually points out to you) that the islands were stolen in the first place.

Britain and France left the islands at the same time leaving only 2 plaques. They Argentinians wanted the islands and tried to settle them 2 times until they were threatened and forced off. Argentina has claim on the islands since they were stolen from them and referendums held by the grand kids of the invaders aren't very legitimate.

You then state you dislike Britain because they sold guns to the Ottoman empire (lets see, that ran from 1299 to 1929 so it ceased to exist almost 100 years ago) and in effect killed your grandparents. I need to ask how old you are, if your grandparents were fighting the Ottoman empire back in the late 1800's?

I stated my dislike for ANY empire that has resorted to killing innocent people. Britain just happens to have a really nasty track record that is portrayed in a lot of good games and movies, like the Patriot.

[Rend Blackhand]

I stated my dislike for ANY empire that has resorted to killing innocent people. Britain just happens to have a really nasty track record that is portrait in a lot of good games and movies, like the Patriot.

The Patriot, a shining example of historical accuracy in film.........

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, jesus. that's a good one.

[Lollis]

I stated my dislike for ANY empire that has resorted to killing innocent people.

Which is every empire in the history of forever.